Commissioner of Public Markets

Edwin Joseph O'Malley (1883-1955) circa 1905

The Commissioner of Public Markets, Weights, and Measures of the City of New York was a cabinet level post appointed by the mayor of New York City during World War I, when foodstuffs were in short supply and people began hoarding. The goal was to "set fair prices for meat and fish." ^[1] The commissioner had jurisdiction over all public markets, market places and lands, and all auctioneers.^[2] The office started after World War I and in 1968 became the Department of Consumer Affairs.

Commissioners

• Henry Moskowitz, circa 1917 ^[3]
• Jonathan C. Day, circa 1918 ^[4] fired by mayor John F. Hylan ^[1][5][6]
• William P. Mulry, 1919 as Acting Commissioner under mayor John F. Hylan
• Edwin Joseph O'Malley, circa 1919-1927 for 7 years under mayor John F. Hylan and survived a graft investigation ^[7][8]
• Thomas F. Dwyer, circa 1930-1932. He concluded that direct rail delivery of food to the Bronx Terminal Market could have saved consumers millions of dollars.^[9]
• J. Bonynge, circa 1934 ^[10]
• William Fellowes Morgan, Jr., circa 1935-1939 ^[11][12]
• Daniel P. Wooley, circa 1943-1944 ^[13]
• Eugene G. Schulz, circa 1949 ^[14]
• Albert S. Pacetta, circa 1965 ^[15]
• Samuel J. Kearing, Jr., 1966
• Gerard M. Weisberg, 1966-68

Deputy commissioners

• William P. Mulry, 1919
• Edwin Joseph O'Malley, 1919
• Samuel Buchler, November 1919 ^[16]
• Mrs. John Marshall Gallagher, circa 1922
• Mrs. Louis R. Welzmiller, circa 1922 ^[17]
• John Joseph Delaney, 1924 through 1931 ^[18]
• Alex Pisciotta, 1937 ^[19]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "To Set Fair Prices For Meat And Fish In Food Campaign". New York Times. August 24, 1919. "Committee To Seek Co-Operation Of Retail Butchers In Fight Against High Costs. Profiteers Taking Heed Hoards Finding Way Into Markets And Early Tumble In Quotations Is Predicted. Chain Stores Fall In Line School Sales Increase, $100,000 worth Of Army Supplies Being Bought In Two Days. Says Hoarders Are Letting Go. To Set Fair Prices For Meat And Fish Day Praises Work Of Women. Plan Co-Operative Store. Swann Denies Interference. Senators Discuss Food Rates Committee Tentatively Agrees On "Unjust Price" Amendment. To Aid Drought Victims. Senate Passes Measure Giving Army Food To Montana Sufferers. Defend Use Of Iced Cars. Packers Obtain No Rate Favors, Stockman Tells Senate Committee. Authorities handling the food situation in this city predicted yesterday that with the steps already being taken and others which have been planned, house wives will find, in the immediate future, a market reduction in the cost of living." 
2. ^ A New Survey of Universal Knowledge. Encyclopædia Britannica. 1951. "The commissioner has jurisdiction over all public markets, market places and lands, and all auctioneers." 
3. ^ Middletown Times-Press; Monday, December 10, 1917
4. ^ Bridgeport Telegram, November 27, 1918
5. ^ New Outlook. 1952. "Jonathan P. Day, who succeeds Henry Moskowitz as commissioner of public markets, is pastor of the Labor Temple and well known in labor circles. ..." 
6. ^ "Dr. Day, Removed By Mayor, Makes Graft Charges.". New York Times. December 3, 1919. "Commissioner Of Public Markets Accuses Two Deputies He Dismissed. Says They Proposed Plot. Writes Mayor Of Alleged Offer to Divide Surplus Of Army Food Sales. Both Men Deny Charges Ousted Commissioner Says He Will Ask Special Grand Jury To Make Inquiry. Day's Letter To Mayor Says He Had An Enemy. Dr. Day, Removed, Alleges Grafting Will Go To Grand Jury. Charges Against Deputies. The Rev. Jonathan C. Day, Commissioner of Public Markets, was summarily removed from office yesterday by Mayor Hylan, who appointed Deputy Commissioner William P. Mulry, Acting Commissioner. ; Commissioner Of Public Markets Accuses Two Deputies He Dismissed. Says They Proposed Plotwrites Mayor Of Alleged Offer to Divide Surplus Of Army Food Sales. Both Men Deny Charges Ousted Commissioner Says He Will Ask Special Grand Jury To Make Inquiry. Day's Letter To Mayor Says He Had An Enemy. Dr. Day, Removed, Alleges Grafting Will Go To Grand Jury. Charges Against Deputies. The Rev. Jonathan C. Day, Commissioner of Public Markets, was summarily removed from office yesterday by Mayor Hylan, who appointed Deputy Commissioner William P. Mulry, Acting Commissioner." 
7. ^ "E.J. O'Malley Dies; Led City Markets.". New York Times. April 11, 1953. "Commissioner Under Hylan Advocated Large Centers for Food Distribution. Edwin J. O'Malley, Commissioner of Markets under Mayor John F. Hylan, died of a heart attack Friday night at his home, 425 East Seventy-second Street. He was 69 years old." 
8. ^ "Walter O'Malley". SABR. http://bioproj.sabr.org/bioproj.cfm?a=v&v=a&bid=790&pid=16004. Retrieved 2007-08-26. "He spent a stormy seven years as Commissioner of Public Markets, a cabinet-level job under the mayor of New York City. While Commissioner, Edwin's Department was investigated several times by Republican state legislators, and accusations flew thick and fast, although no charges were ever proven." 
9. ^ http://muse.jhu.edu/demo/libraries_and_culture/v036/36.2seaver.html
10. ^ Tannenbaum v. Department of Public Markets, May 16, 1934
11. ^ 20th CENTURY BRONX
12. ^ "Also Fight Against Fear.". Time. February 1, 1937. "Last week City Commissioner of Markets William Fellowes Morgan, Jr. publicly asserted that potential witnesses to food racketeering were withholding ..." 
13. ^ Supreme Court, Special Term, New York County, May 5, 1943
14. ^ Court decision, January 6, 1949
15. ^ Supreme Court, Special Term, New York County, October 1, 1965
16. ^ "Dr. Buchler Resigns. Law Practice Claims Deputy Commissioner of Public Markets.". New York Times. May 13, 1922, Saturday. 
17. ^ http://idcs0100.lib.iup.edu/Theresa/Narrative.htm
18. ^ DELANEY, John Joseph - Biographical Information
19. ^ "Alex Pisciotta, Deputy Commissioner of Public Markets, Weights and Measures, issued a warning to the public yesterday to beware of short-weight deliveries by dishonest and irresponsible coal dealers.". New York Times. July 20, 1937. 

Further reading

• Columbia Law Review, volume 34, number 7; November 1934, pp. 1369-1370. "The Commissioner of Public Markets, Weights, and Measures of the City of New York refused to issue a license to the petitioner to vend ice on the ground ..."